Elvis Presley's relatives are in a legal battle over his estate. Meet the King of Rock 'n' Roll's extended family.

Advertisement
Gabbi ShawMar 24, 2023, 22:53 IST
Elvis Presley's relatives are in a legal battle over his estate. Meet the King of Rock 'n' Roll's extended family.

Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough, pictured in 2016, are reportedly at odds over Lisa Marie Presley's will.Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images

  • Elvis Presley had one child, Lisa Marie Presley, who died in 2023 at 54.
  • Her will is now being contested, and the control of Elvis' estate is up in the air.
Advertisement

Elvis Presley, the No. 3 highest-selling musical artist of all time, remains a cultural touchstone 46 years after his death.

Elvis Presley, the No. 3 highest-selling musical artist of all time, remains a cultural touchstone 46 years after his death.
Elvis Presley circa 1955.Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Elvis is behind only The Beatles and Garth Brooks, with a staggering 146.5 million units sold. He also had a successful movie career with films including "Jailhouse Rock," "Viva Las Vegas," and "G.I. Blues."

He died in 1977, at the age of 42, but he remains an object of fascination to this day.

Many people have attempted to play the King onscreen, most recently Austin Butler in "Elvis," for which he was nominated for an Oscar. Additionally, an animated series "Agent Elvis," which recently dropped on Netflix, imagines Elvis as a secret agent for the US government.

Elvis' estate is estimated to be worth between $400 to $500 million, according to a Rolling Stone estimate in 2020.

Here's a rundown of who is keeping the Presley family legacy alive today.

He married Priscilla Presley in 1967. They split six years later in 1973.

He married Priscilla Presley in 1967. They split six years later in 1973.
Elvis and Priscilla Presley at their 1967 wedding.Bettmann/Getty Images

Elvis and Priscilla met in September 1959, when Elvis was 24 and Priscilla was 14, while he was stationed at an Army base in Germany.

By 1963, she had moved to Graceland, Elvis' estate in Memphis, Tennessee, and was living with him as he continued his stratospheric rise. They tied the knot in 1967, when Priscilla was 21 and Elvis was 32. She went on to enjoy her own onscreen career, with starring roles in the "Naked Gun" series and "Dallas."

The two separated in February 1972, before officially divorcing in October 1973.

Advertisement

Priscilla and Elvis stayed in each other's lives and, now 77, she is still heavily involved with the Presley estate.

Priscilla and Elvis stayed in each other's lives and, now 77, she is still heavily involved with the Presley estate.
Priscilla Presley in 2023.Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Priscilla was put in charge of her ex-husband's estate upon the death of Elvis' father, Vernon, in 1979.

She later told the Los Angeles Times that the estate was on the verge of bankruptcy when she took over, and she played an instrumental role in making it what it is today. Partly due to Graceland, Elvis was the fifth-highest-paid dead celebrity in 2020, earning $23 million that year, according to Forbes.

Priscilla has also produced multiple projects relating to her ex-husband, most recently co-creating and starring in "Agent Elvis."

Priscilla and Elvis had one child together, Lisa Marie Presley. She died in 2023 at age 54.

Priscilla and Elvis had one child together, Lisa Marie Presley. She died in 2023 at age 54.
Lisa Marie Presley in 2023.Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Icelandic Glacial

Lisa Marie was 9 years old when her father died.

As an adult, Lisa Marie was primarily a musician. She released three albums: "To Whom It May Concern" in 2003, "Now What" in 2005, and "Storm & Grace" in 2012. She also recorded multiple duets using her father's vocals.

In January 2023, Lisa Marie died at the age of 54 due to cardiac arrest.

Advertisement

Priscilla had a 22-year relationship with producer Marco Garibaldi, and they had a son, Navarone Garibaldi, in 1987.

Priscilla had a 22-year relationship with producer Marco Garibaldi, and they had a son, Navarone Garibaldi, in 1987.
Navarone Garibaldi and Priscilla Presley in 2012.JB Lacroix/WireImage/Getty Images

Priscilla dated Marco Garibaldi, a Brazilian producer, from 1984 to 2006.

Navarone, the frontman of the band Them Guns, married Elisa Achilli in 2022.

Navarone, the frontman of the band Them Guns, married Elisa Achilli in 2022.
Priscilla Presley and Navarone Garibaldi in 2015.Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage/Getty Images

Navarone spoke with People in February 2023, in one of his only interviews. He spoke about the (non)-relationship he has with his father, how he tried to hide his connection to the Presley family, his struggles with drug addiction, and how he's supporting his mother after Lisa Marie's death.

He married Achilli after four years of dating in 2022 in Switzerland. Priscilla, who attended, said in a statement, "They've been together for four years and we've all have been waiting patiently for this day."

Advertisement

Before her death, Lisa Marie had four children. Her first child, daughter Riley Keough, was born in 1989. Her father is Lisa Marie's first husband, Danny Keough.

Before her death, Lisa Marie had four children. Her first child, daughter Riley Keough, was born in 1989. Her father is Lisa Marie's first husband, Danny Keough.
Riley Keough in 2022.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Even though Lisa Marie and Danny split, they remained close friends — Danny was even the best man at her 2006 wedding to Michael Lockwood.

Riley, who was actually born Danielle Riley Keough, is an actress. She made her film debut in the 2010 musical biopic "The Runaways" and continued to star in indie films and smaller productions like "The Good Doctor," "Magic Mike," "Yellow," and "Kiss of the Damned."

In 2015, she appeared in box-office smash "Mad Max: Fury Road." The following year, she starred in the TV series "The Girlfriend Experience," for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Riley made her directorial debut in 2022 with the drama "War Pony," which currently has a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Riley, 33, is currently starring in the Prime Video limited series "Daisy Jones & the Six" as the titular Daisy Jones.

Riley, 33, is currently starring in the Prime Video limited series "Daisy Jones & the Six" as the titular Daisy Jones.
Riley Keough as Daisy Jones.Lacey Terrell/Prime Video

"Daisy Jones & the Six" is based on the Taylor Jenkins Reid novel of the same name, and follows the meteoric rise and sharp decline of a fictional band in the '70s, Daisy Jones & the Six.

The 10-episode season concluded on March 23.

Advertisement

Riley does all her own singing for the show, proving that musical talent runs in the family.

Riley does all her own singing for the show, proving that musical talent runs in the family.
Riley Keough as Daisy and Sam Claflin as Billy in "Daisy Jones & The Six."Lacey Terrell/Prime Video

From listening to Riley on the soundtrack, you might be surprised that this was the first real singing she'd ever done, even though her uncle, mother, and grandfather were all musicians.

"I auditioned like everybody else, and lied to them and told them I could sing," she said during a screening event ahead of the premiere.

But while her grandfather may be one of the most famous singers of all time, Keough was uncertain about her own singing abilities when she auditioned, Insider's Callie Ahlgrim previously reported.

However, her vocals ended up being so strong that the music supervisor Frankie Pine was able to use her live singing during a pivotal scene in the series' eighth episode.

"We ended up using so much of her live vocal in that moment," Pine told Insider. "Because it was the only way that I could get across the fact that she was out of her mind."

Riley married stuntman Ben Smith-Petersen in 2015. They welcomed a daughter in 2022.

Riley married stuntman Ben Smith-Petersen in 2015. They welcomed a daughter in 2022.
Riley Keough and Ben Smith-Petersen in 2023.Kayla Oaddams/WireImage/Getty Images

Riley married Smith-Petersen in 2015, after meeting on the set of "Mad Max: Fury Road."

"My husband is such a good person. He's calm and loyal and strong and sensitive. He's my best friend," she wrote in a 2022 essay for Vogue Australia. "I'm excited to have kids. Everything is exciting to me, with him. Every day is exciting when you're with your soulmate."

In 2022, Riley revealed that they'd welcomed a daughter in a speech she asked her husband to read for her at her mother's funeral.

"I hope I can love my daughter the way you loved me, the way you loved my brother and my sisters," she wrote.

Advertisement

Lisa Marie's second child was Benjamin Keough, who was born in 1992. He died in 2020 at the age of 27.

Lisa Marie's second child was Benjamin Keough, who was born in 1992. He died in 2020 at the age of 27.
Benjamin Keough and Lisa Marie Presley in 2010.Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

Benjamin died by suicide in 2020. Afterwards, Lisa Marie was very vocal about her struggles with grief, penning an essay in August 2022 about how she was living through her pain.

"I keep going for my girls. I keep going because my son made it very clear in his final moments that taking care of his little sisters and looking out for them were on the forefront of his concerns and his mind. He absolutely adored them and they him," she wrote.

In 2006, Lisa Marie married Michael Lockwood, a guitarist in her band. She gave birth to twin girls, Harper and Finley, in 2008. The couple split in 2016.

In 2006, Lisa Marie married Michael Lockwood, a guitarist in her band. She gave birth to twin girls, Harper and Finley, in 2008. The couple split in 2016.
Harper Lockwood, Lisa Marie Presley, Priscilla Presley, Riley Keough, and Finley Lockwood in 2022.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

The twins will turn 15 this year, and they remain in the custody of their father.

He has petitioned the court to appoint him guardian ad litem so he can represent his daughters in the ongoing case regarding Lisa Marie's will and the Presley estate.

Advertisement

Currently, the extended Presley-Keough-Lockwood family is engaged in a battle surrounding Lisa Marie's estate.

Currently, the extended Presley-Keough-Lockwood family is engaged in a battle surrounding Lisa Marie's estate.
Lisa Marie Presley and mother Priscilla Presley in 2005.Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

When Lisa Marie turned 25, she was given full access to her trust and was the sole heir to her father's estate. She then created a new trust with her mother and the National Bank of Commerce in Memphis. They created Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., according to Inside Edition.

In 2005, Lisa Marie sold 85% of her stake in the company, while retaining ownership of Graceland — the museum and the actual property.

In 2016, Lisa Marie removed her mother and her former business manager, Barry Siegel, as co-trustees, according to the Los Angeles Times. She replaced them with her daughter Riley and her late son, Benjamin.

In February 2023, Priscilla — who did not know about the changes until after her daughter's death, Insider's Eve Crosbie reported — filed a petition contesting the validity of the will.

Multiple sources reportedly told People that Riley and Priscilla are "barely speaking," with one source saying, "They do not see eye to eye."

A source close to Riley told ET that she's "deeply upset at how things are unfolding" and "hopes to still be a huge part of Harper and Finley's lives," as their father has now reportedly sided with Priscilla.

Insider has reached out to representatives for Riley Keough and Priscilla Presley.

Next StoryBatting for love: Dating platform Bumble reveals ...
Advertisement
Popular on BI
Latest Stories
View All Latest
Trending News
Buying Guides
Advertisement
Popular Categories
Trending Right Now

Copyright © 2024. Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.For reprint rights. Times Syndication Service.